ide and belly views of a pygmy killer whale
from South Africa. Note the slight white coloration of the lips, the
white region on the ventral surface (extending up onto the sides just
below the dorsal fin), and the falcate sharply pointed dorsal fin. Note
also the flippers, which lack the hump on the forward margin
characteristic of false killer whales. (_Photos courtesy of P. B.
Best._)]

[Illustration: Figure 155.--Pygmy killer whales have from 8 to 11 teeth
in each side of the upper jaw and from 11 to 13 in each side of the
lower jaw. Many specimens reportedly have one fewer on the right than on
the left side. The teeth are smaller than those of the false killer
whale and far less numerous than those of the more closely sized
many-toothed blackfish. Note also the white lips. (_Photo courtesy of P.
B. Best_)]

MANY-TOOTHED BLACKFISH (T)

_Peponocephala electra_ (Gray 1846)

Other Common Names

Hawaiian blackfish, melon-headed whale.

Description

Many-toothed blackfish reach lengths of at least 9 feet (2.7 m) and are
similar in body shape to the larger false killer whale and the
similar-sized pygmy killer whale. The body is elongated and slim with a
rather slim tail stock. In general, the head is shaped like that of the
false killer whale but has a sharper appearance to the snout, sometimes
described as a parrot-beak. The forehead is rounded, slightly
overhanging the lower jaw, and has no beak. The dorsal fin is up to 10
inches (25.4 cm). It is probably very distinctive as the animals surface
to breathe. Many-toothed blackfish are black on the back and slightly
lighter on the belly. The areas around the anus and genitals and the
lips are unpigmented. Many-toothed blackfish are presumably rare.

May Be Confused With

Many-toothed blackfish may be confused with either the false killer
whale or the pygmy killer whale. They are considerably smaller than the
false killer whale, have a slightly more pointed snout, and lack the
prominent humplike forward margin on the flippers which is
characteristic of the false killer whale.

They are approximately the same size as pygmy killer whales, but the
white area around the genitals which extends up onto the side in pygmy
killer whales may be lacking in many-toothed blackfish. This species has
pointed flippers, while those of pygmy killer whales are rounded on the
tips. Many-toothed blackfish also have a slightly more pointed snout.
Otherwise, the two speci